Darkness and Dawn
I. Christmas Whispers
A brood of vipers slithers in the sun
With darkest hearts and airs of starkest white.
These snakes of robe and ring and tricky tongue
Bedazzle with a bright, misguiding light.
They swirl a smoky trail—a spicy spell
That leads the lured through labyrinths of lies
Till Eden-seekers skirt the pull of Hell
Propelled by scaly sages of disguise.
As serpents cloak their sins in saintliness
A wink of wonder twinkles overhead.
A miracle unfurls—one set to bless
The blind with sight. The Truth is never dead.
It flickers in the shadows with the might
To summon kings to cattle-sheds at night.
II. Kitchen Carols
She feels the ghost of Christmases gone by
Beside her as she peels and chops and cooks.
She spies the sparkle of a smiling eye
While leafing through the recipes in books
Bequeathed by one who knew the warmth and worth
Of savoring that cozy-kitchen glow—
The hug of citrus, cinnamon, and mirth
As starry skies send sleighs and drifts of snow.
She basks in magic memories as she sifts
And whisks while heavens sigh and angels sing
Of Bethlehem, of wise men and their gifts—
The hymns of joy a newborn boy will bring.
This fatted-goose and figgy-pudding day
The guiding light of Grandma leads the way.
III. Neon Fringes
A spectacle of season’s greetings gleams
On vivid streets ablaze with festive frills—
The rainbow snow and glitzy-Santa thrills
Replete with jingle bells and flashing beams
For those who crave a red-nose-reindeer rush—
That sizzle of electric surging through
A world abuzz with glee at such a blush
Of wonder from a treetop-fairy view.
Yet, moonlit marvels glimmer overhead.
Polaris peeps through clouds of silver lace
Enrapturing the meek who seek the grace
Of One who melts the darkness and the dread—
One who shines beyond the showy glare
On lowly souls: the answer to their prayer.
Susan Jarvis Bryant is a poet originally from the U.K., now living on the Gulf Coast of Texas.
Susan, I don’t know how you do it, and I see no point in attempting an appreciation or critique. Suffice it to say that the final couplet of “Christmas Whispers” is the finest, truest, most arresting piece of writing I’ve encountered in a long time. Thank you for all three pieces.
Thank you so very much, Martin. Your beautiful words are a shining gift on this wonderful morning. Here’s wishing you a very merry Christmas!
Inspirational sonnets, Susan! Reading your poems is a nice way to start Christmas morning..
Paul, it’s lovely to see you back on the SCP! Thank you so much for your kind words.
Each sonnet has phrases which Illuminate. I especially like “wink of wonder”. Lovely work, Susan.
Margaret, I like “wink of wonder” too. We could do with more of these wondrous winks in today’s wicked world. Thank you very much for your inspirational comment.
Susan, you have given us your gift of love and light for Christmas. The summoning of “kings to cattle sheds” is an amazing way to tell the Christmas story and is great inspiration. I can envision my own grandmother preparing for a Christmas dinner for the family in days gone by that stick in my memory. Christ is the answer to prayers and the reason for Christmas. Merry Christmas to you and Mike!
Roy, what would Christmas be without the gift of love and light? I am over the moon you saw both in my words. I’m especially glad my poetry brought back some beautiful memories of your own grandmother. I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and the warm glow is still lingering.
Some poets might take months or years to produce three perfect sonnets such as this. You’ve whipped them out in a flash for Christmas.
Magnificent work, as usual, Susan!
Merry Christmas to you and Mike.
Joe, it is always a pleasure and a privilege to receive a comment from you and this one has made my Christmas extra special. Thank you!
You’ve done it again, young lady. Anyone of these 3 would easily win – ‘Best Christmas Poem of the Year’, not to mention – ‘Best Sonnet’. I know the feeling of occasionally impressing a poetry connoisseur with top quality verse, but could muster no expectation to win in a contest in which you were a participant. I’m so jealous I could throw my pen away! These are intimidatingly flawless, my dear. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2 U 2 as well. 🙂
Mark, you have a knack of leaving me speechless and smiling. I’m thrilled you enjoyed the poems. I always write to please myself (I’m a hard taskmaster) and if I am fortunate enough to please others that is a wonderful bonus… in this case, a Christmas gift. Thank you for your generosity. A very happy, poetry-packed New Year to you!
These are all beautiful sonnets, Susan, but I love the profundity of “Darkness and Dawn” best. “Lead the lured through labyrinths of lies” shows you, once again, the Queen of alliteration, and you use it to express a deep (though often ignored) truth. I agree with Martin about the last couplet. Marvelous!
I am most appreciative of your kind and encouraging comment. Thank you very much, Cynthia! I am glad you have homed in on my alliterative lure through those labyrinths of lies. I believe this insidious duplicity is happening more and more frequently in this increasingly wicked world. The sad thing is it’s the very places we go to seek help, guidance, and sanctuary that need to be checked out most carefully.
You are blessed, Susan, and how wonderful that you use your gift to praise the Giver. All three poems are beautiful and timely. And so is the accompanying Triptych, Evan. Thank you, both.
jd, what a beautiful comment. Thank you very much indeed! And I’d like to join in with a big THANK YOU! to Evan for his fine eye – his choice of artwork to accompany the poetry is always spot on.
This sounds like a well rounded trio of Christmas poems Susan. Each poem examines a totally different perspective of Christmas, but all quickly focus on the only One who truly matters, no matter the setting or perspective. Superb as always Susan, thank you. Wishing you and Mike a very merry Christmas and cheers to your muse. And thanks to Evan for the wonderful pictures!
Yael, it’s always lovely to hear from you. I hope you had a very merry Christmas and I wish you a peaceful and beautiful New Year. Focusing on only One who truly matters is exactly what I aimed to do when I wrote this, and I am so glad I managed to achieve my goal. Your words mean a lot.
These have been lovely verses to think upon as my Christmas week draws to a close.
Kitchen Carols resonated with me in particular as so much of my week was spent in making and doing what my mother and mother in law did in Christmases past, even down to making Peanut Butter Hershey Kiss cookies with my little granddaughter tonight. I have heard it said that we mothers “bring Christmas” to our families. As a grandmother of 15, I am blessed to have a lot to “bring” and share with the next generation. Your poem put it into words in a way I was too busy “doing” to think about until now. Merry Christmas!
Gigi, I just love your comment. What a beautiful picture you paint of your time with your granddaughter, and I bet those Peanut Butter Hershey Kiss cookies (YUM!) were ambrosial. All recipes made from scratch in the company of those we love always taste wonderful. The special kitchen memories you are making is a gift that will last a lifetime… and beyond. I am sure of that! Thank you very much!
Susan, Reading these poems is like sipping creme de menthe liqueur: strong, sweet, smooth… and delicious!
Mark, what a nectarous treat of a comment. I am over the moon you enjoyed my Christmas offering. Thank you! Perhaps your next poem should be an ode to festive liqueurs – your superlative sibilant flow of intoxicating words has me tasting and smelling this aromatic minty marvel… and getting a little tipsy.
You are not only the Grand Mistress of Form, Susan, you are also the Queen of Substance. There’s nary a misplaced word, nor even an unfocused idea, here, or in anything else you have written. A bad to mediocre poem from you would be a wonder of wonders, which would perplex literary historians for centuries. Do you even have a slush pile?
C.B., you have made my Christmas complete! Thank you! And yes – I have a slush pile.
Great work as usual, Susan – these last lines are simply marvellous: “…. The Truth is never dead.
It flickers in the shadows with the might
To summon kings to cattle-sheds at night.” Brill!
James, thank you very much indeed. I will admit to surprising myself with those lines… they came as a Christmas gift to me.
Susan, I know this poem came from much contemplation and work. I love it. I believe that you have illuminated, if you will, what real light is all about. It’s not about the snootsplainers that cannot keep from spewing a misguiding “light” or the showy, colored, boastful LEDs that abound this time of year. It’s about that light that shone in your Nan’s eyes, about the Light that shone from the manger. It is the King of all the Earth that shines from the lowly last, and that is missing from those who would be first.
Thank You, gorgeous, for being the Light that is you…